After Round 4 of the AFL Sydney Premier Division competition, Manly-Warringah is one game clear of surprise packets, Sydney University and Pennant Hills.
Manly-Warringah is expected to retain their unbeaten record this weekend when they travel to the Village Green to take on UNSW/ES who are coming off the back of successive losses.
The GIANTS...well they put on a giant score against the UTS Bats after a relatively tight first half. Connor Pettersson has been dominant in the midfield this season in the place of Tyrone Armitage who has absent for the large part of it.
Gareth Benbow and Wils Brassil continue to go under the radar which is testimony to the GIANTS significant depth. Brayden Fowler extended his lead and is odds-on to claim the Stan Milton Medal with seven goals last weekend.
It was a tight encounter between the Bulldogs and their eventual conquerors, St George last weekend with the end margin 20 points.
It would remiss to not mention the six-goal haul from veteran Troy Luff. He continues to perform despite being on the wrong side of 40 (he won’t mind us saying that), and will go down as one of the best players in Sydney football history (he won’t mind us saying that either!)
It is commendable how the Bulldogs are introducing youth into a fairly mature list. There are a lot of unfamiliar names that have arisen from predominantly their Under 18 side that has impressed in recent times. They will get a good lesson this weekend regardless of the result from one of the best sides in recent years.
A lot will fall on the experienced campaigners in Jeremy Kiel and Ryan Plant to control the ball in the face of the rampant Manly press.
Danny’s Prediction:
Manly-Warringah by 45 points
North Shore v Western Suburbs
Arguably the hardest game to tip will be played at Gore Hill Oval between a resurgent North Shore and Western Suburbs who will be licking their wounds after a tight ANZAC day defeat to Pennant Hills.
North Shore easily kicked their biggest score of the year against a beleaguered Sydney Hills Eagles.
Matthew Clarke was definitely noticeable in his first game for the Bombers after crossing from Sydney University. The 2013 NEAFL Eastern Conference representative player kicked four goals in a best-on-ground display.
He is another small forward to add to the likes of Jake Monk and Matt Varjavandi. Callum Mills won a Rising Star nomination but he, Nick Foster, Jack Campbell and Zachary Fyffe have been named in the NSW/ACT TAC Cup squad to play Dandenong on the weekend in what is predicted to be wintery conditions in Melbourne.
Western Suburbs had their chances against Pennant Hills in a game befitting of the ANZAC Day spotlight at Picken Oval.
Matthew Round and Leigh Conway were well quelled across half-back which really hurt their thrusts forward after quarter-time. Brenton Mumme is growing in pedigree but they still miss Marcus Linsen, and particularly Kristian Ericson who is important in the ruck and as another forward foil to Taylor Williamson who was kept out of the contest last weekend.
Western Suburbs seemed a bit predictable in their ball movement and their targets, something they will need to address if they are to be a title threat.
With North Shore’s outs, the Magpies could sneak away with the chocolates- something they haven’t been able to manage in the last fortnight.
Danny’s Prediction:
Western Suburbs by 10 points
Campbelltown v Sydney Hills Eagles
It is hard to know where Campbelltown are at the moment. They showed great control of the contest against UTS but went missing in the third quarter against Sydney University on the weekend.
This will put them in the chasing pack until they can become more consistent.
Taran Etto has been their best player in the last fortnight and arguably this season. He and Hamish Sherwood are ever-consistent but need more support from their middle-tier players.
Sydney Hills have been most disappointing in how they have fallen away in the last fortnight. They were smacked by Sydney University and after a first half of some promise, fell away again away to North Shore.
Campbelltown can put on a big score so their defensive game will need to be better this weekend.
Jake Famularo kicked four goals and is a player of promise for the Eagles.
Danny’s Prediction:
Campbelltown by 32 points
Pennant Hills v St George
Quite a few eyes will be on this encounter featuring two sides with lofty expectations in 2014.
Pennant Hills asserted their authority in their best win this season on ANZAC Day. It is not often defenders get plaudits but full-back Lloyd Shepherd deservedly claimed the best afield honours with his job on Tasmanian recruit, Taylor Williamson.
The returning former NSW Country player is the most important cog in the Demons defence and will get more support in coming weeks with reigning club Best and Fairest, Matt Thomas and Tim Scoular among those to feature in the Reserves for their first games this year.
James Dunn and Theo Moraitis across half-forward were young players who stood up to the defensive pressure from Western Suburbs. Spectators also got a glimpse from Brad Watson who despite being physically under-sized, impressed and got his hands dirty in his senior debut.
St George withstood a consistent challenge from UNSW/ES in a win that sees them currently sit in fifth. They should finish higher than that.
Karl Merson played his most important game for his new club as youngsters Jesse Mudge and Alex Wynn again impressed.
They will need to take another step forward if they are to extinguish the Demons.
Danny’s Prediction:
Pennant Hills by 22 points
UTS v Sydney University
UTS Ladies Day is the most supported match day outside the finals and a big crowd is expected at Waverley Oval for the action on and off the field.
Looking past the stilettos and flowing champagne, UTS need to take responsibility and step up to the plate.
They have underperformed in Premier Division for arguably the last two or three seasons and as they say in cricket, they need to put a higher price on their wicket.
They lost by 137 points against Manly-Warringah. Their defensive pressure, a customary trademark, was absent as the GIANTS kicked 25 goals from 47 scoring shots. Bleak reading any way you look at it.
Sydney University on the other hand are flying with many not expecting them to be second even if it is only after Round 4.
The Students caused another upset by downing Campbelltown.
Adam Campbell is a handy player in any sense but in his first game of the season, the former Fremantle AFL player who played 11 games at the top level, was premium nuisance value for the Blues kicking five goals.
Jack Caspersonn and James Howard were enigmatic, as again was Sam Sleigh.
Expect a more honest performance from a fired-up Bats line-up but will it be enough to get them off the mark for 2014?
Danny’s Prediction:
Students by 13 points
Last Modified on 02/05/2014 09:07
